Method of and apparatus for beverage storage

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for storage of a beverage such as wine by the utilization of inert material forming fill members that may be inserted in a partially filled beverage/wine bottle. The fill material displaces the beverage/wine therein and causes the beverage/wine to rise in the bottle and displace the air that would otherwise be contained therein. In this manner, the amount of oxidation of the beverage/wine may be reduced while the inert material forming the fill members may, in some instances, be formed of comical shapes to promote discussion related to the consumption of the beverage.

CROSS-REFERENCE

[0001] This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication 60/358,007 filed Feb. 15, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to beverage storage systems and,more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a beverage/winestorage system permitting the substantial elimination of air in abeverage/wine bottle after partial use, typically drinking, thereof forthe preservation of the remaining wine contained therein.

[0004] 2. History of Related Art

[0005] The storage of beverages, such as wine, is a well developed art.Typically, quality wines are kept in glass wine bottles that are sealedwith a sealing member, often referred to as a cork, even though thesubstance from which the sealing member is manufactured may not be ofcork material and may in linguistic irony, be synthetic. The sealing ofthe bottles prevents the exposure of wine contained in the bottle toair. Air directly affects the condition and the taste of wine. It is forthis reason that wine is carefully sealed against fresh air.

[0006] Once a wine bottle is opened, the wine may not be completelyconsumed. This may be because the drinkers of the wine are of aparticularly conservative religious persuasion (which shall not bementioned) and are perhaps startled by unexpected guests who could befrom their church. In other situations, the wine may be so expensive(i.e. not poured from a box) that one does not desire to consume all atone sitting. This may particularly be true of expensive and/or highquality wines. In order to preserve the contents of the wine bottle,systems have been developed for eliminating or substantially reducingthe volume of air to which the wine can be exposed after opening. Suchsystems prevent the oxidation of the wine within the bottle that willdirectly affect the wine's condition and taste.

[0007] One such system of preserving wine is the use of an inert gassuch as nitrogen. Because nitrogen is heavier than air, it may bedischarged into an open wine bottle and the presence of the nitrogenwill displace the air contained therein and, the nitrogen being heavierthan the air, will separate the wine from any air remaining in thebottle, if the bottle is left erect. Another system includes the use ofa pump which eliminates the air from a wine bottle. Such pumpsincorporate stoppers having an elastic opening that will permit theegress of air contained within the wine bottle by the pumping operationand yet seal out ambient air once the pump is removed.

[0008] These and other wine storage systems may be seen to substantiallyimprove the storage conditions of a partially consumed bottle of wine,but such systems have limitations and certain cost aspects associatedtherewith. In the case of stored nitrogen, once utilized, the nitrogencannot be reused and the canister must be eventually recharged orreplaced.

[0009] It would be an advantage therefore to provide a wine storagesystem that eliminates the problems of the prior art, provides yet animproved aspect to wine storage by providing a wine storage systemcapable of improved storage aspects. The present invention provides sucha solution by utilizing inert material that may be placed within anexisting wine bottle that is partially full to displace the air thereincausing the wine to rise in the bottle to the neck portion thereofwhereby the amount of air remaining in the bottle may be substantiallyeliminated. When the owners of the wine bottle are then confronted bytheir religious friends threatening eternal damnation for daring toconsume alcohol, the owners can point to the novel aspects of thepresent invention set forth herein, which are, in some embodiments bothfunctional and a source of amusement and discussions since they areshaped like parts of the human antonymy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention relates to a method of an apparatus forstorage of beverages such as wine. More particularly, one aspect of thepresent invention is incorporates the utilization of inert materialforming fill members that may be inserted in a partially filledbeverage/wine bottle for displacing the beverage/wine therein andcausing the beverage/wine to rise in the bottle and displace the airthat would otherwise be contained therein.

[0011] In one aspect, the present invention incorporates the use of fillmembers in the form of beads made from glass or the like that may bepoured into a wine bottle to displace the wine until the level of theremaining wine rises to the neck region of the wine bottle where anappropriate sealing member can be utilized. In one embodiment, thesealing member incorporates a vacuum pump assembly of the type discussedabove that may eliminate any remaining air therein. In another aspect,the sealing member incorporates a cap that is disposed across the top ofthe wine bottle in close proximity to the wine contained therein for thesubstantial elimination or air around said wine. In yet a furtherembodiment, the cap has a selective protruding member that furtherdisplaces wine contained within the bottle until virtually no airremains during the capping of said wine bottle. In yet a furtherembodiment, the shape of the glass beads may be of a comical shape topromote discussion away from the fact that the bottle contains alcohol.The method of forming the displacement members further includes the stepof molding the glass into shapes recognizable to a consumer of saidwine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] A more complete understanding of the method and apparatus of thepresent invention may be obtained by reference to the following DetailedDescription when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawingswherein:

[0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a partially empty beverage bottleof the type adapted for wine, placed next to a container of fill membersin the form of glass beads adapted for use within the wine bottle asdescribed below:

[0014]FIG. 2 illustrates the pouring of the fill members into thebeverage bottle utilizing a funneling member therewith;

[0015]FIG. 3 is a side elevational diagrammatic view illustrating thefill members disposed on the lower section of the wine bottle with thelevel of the wine within the bottle raised to the neck region thereof;and

[0016]FIG. 4 illustrates the capping of the wine bottle with the levelof the wine virtually at the top of the neck portion thereof tovirtually eliminate most of the air available to effect the conditionand taste of the remaining wine;

[0017]FIG. 5 is an enlarged side elevational, cross sectional view of analternative bottom of the capping member for use in conjunction with thepresent invention;

[0018]FIG. 6 is a side elevational, cross sectional view of the upperportion of the wine bottle of FIG. 3 illustrating the use of the cappingmember of FIG. 5 of the present invention and the further displacementof additional wine contained within the bottle to virtually replace theremaining wine in direct contact with the underside of the cappingmember for the complete elimination of any remaining air within the winebottle; and

[0019]FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of different fill members formedin the shape of various items and plant and body parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] It may be seen that fill members (also referred to herein asbeads) formed of glass and/or other materials can be placed within awine bottle to displace the wine contained therein and drive the levelof wine up to the neck portion thereof. The user may vary the number ofbeads to create the desired level within the bottle. The figures clearlyillustrate this aspect. The type of fill member, or bead, the size ofbead, the material of the bead, the shape of the bead and other aspectsmay vary in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

[0021] It should be noted that the material used for the fillmembers/beads should be of the type that can be easily cleaned/washedfor reuse so as to not effect the condition of the wine exposed thereto.The size and shape of the beads should be such that they are easilyinserted into the neck of a conventional beverage or wine bottle. Theymay be made of glass, plastic, or the like.

[0022]FIG. 7 shows a plurality of shapes of fill members, someresembling parts of the human anatomy and some plants. The use of beadsshaped into such recognizable plant and body parts, or the like, is bothaesthetically and functionally interesting. The previous description isof a preferred embodiment for implementing the invention, and the scopeof the invention should not necessarily be limited by this description.

1. The method of wine storage to minimize oxidation thereof utilizinginert material of generally solid construction adapted to be insertedinto a partially filled wine bottle for displacing the wine therein andcausing the wine to rise in the bottle and displace the air that wouldotherwise be contained therein, said method comprising the steps of:forming a plurality of solid displacement members that may be pouredinto a wine bottle to displace the wine until the level of the remainingwine rises to the neck region of the wine bottle; providing at least onesealing member for sealing said wine bottle after the receipt of saiddisplacement members therein; pouring said displacement members intosaid wine bottle and raising the level of the remaining wall therein tothe neck region of the wine bottle; and sealing the wine bottle withsaid sealing member to reduce the amount of exposure said wine has tooxidation.
 2. The method of beverage storage to minimize oxidationthereof utilizing inert material of generally solid construction adaptedto be inserted into a partially filled beverage bottle for displacingthe beverage therein and causing the beverage to rise in the bottle anddisplace the air that would otherwise be contained therein, said methodcomprising the steps of: forming a plurality of solid displacementmembers that may be poured into a beverage bottle to displace thebeverage until the level of the remaining beverage rises to an upperneck region of the beverage bottle; providing at least one sealingmember for sealing said beverage bottle after the receipt of saiddisplacement members therein; pouring said displacement members intosaid beverage bottle and raising the level of the remaining wall thereinto the upper region of the beverage bottle; and sealing the wine bottlewith said sealing member to reduce the amount of exposure said wine hasto oxidation.
 3. The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said step offorming said displacement members includes the step of forming saidmembers out of glass.
 4. The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein thestep of forming said displacement members out of glass further includesthe step of molding said glass into shapes recognizable to a consumer ofsaid beverage.
 5. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the step offorming said displacement members further includes the step of formingsaid displacement members into shapes resembling parts of the humananatomy.
 6. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the step offorming said displacement members further includes the step of moldingsaid glass into shapes resembling vegetation.
 7. The method as set forthin claim 4 wherein the step of forming said displacement members furtherincludes the step of molding said glass into shapes resembling noveltyitems.
 8. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the step of formingsaid displacement members further includes the step of forming saidmembers out of plastic.